Re-using John Innes compost?

[crazy_red]

Hi folks!

I have to use containers for most of my growing at the moment and it is really expensive to replace the multi-purpose compost every spring.

If I use John Innes no.3 soil-based compost in my pots, how many years should I get out of it, before it needs completely replacing?

Also, would I need to start feeding the pots after a certain time, as you do with multi-purpose peat based ones?

As it has a soil base, I was wondering if when the nutrients did start to run too low, you could empty the pots and mix the JI compost with something to replenish the nutrients, then re-fill the pots.....or am I just hoping for too much

Thanks,

Red

[snuffer]

Can't see why that shouldn't work crazy red. Evey year empty the pots, mix in a little garden compost or something similar to revitalise the John Innes and away you go again. Feed the pots through the year as you would for any other container grown crop.

Just bare in mind crop rotation though. Don't grow crops from the same family in the same compost or pots and I don't see why you should have any problem.

[Two_Sheds]

I wouldn't empty out all the compost every year.

As with container flowers, herbs and shrubs, I scrape off the top inch or two of compost, and replace with fresh. Feed with high-potash fertiliser (eg. comfrey tea) for lots of flowers/fruits. Nitrogen for leaf crops.

[Snadger]

Because home made John Innes compost is very easy and cheap to make I wouldn't dream of growing things like toms in it a second year.

If you have perennial plants like fruit bushes in it you could do as TS says and revitalise the top couple of inches.

As I've already mentioned on another thread.......the soil in the buckets I grew my toms in was tipped out, BFB added and repotted with winter brassicas. Once these are finished, the soil will be finished and I'll mix up a new batch for next years toms and seedlings.
The old stuff will be added to my outdoor beds to improve the soil!

[hooraynana]

making compost ?

Snadger
Please can you tell me how to make JI compost
I thought you could only buy it ?

mmm feel silly now - please help

[Snadger]

Snadger
Please can you tell me how to make JI compost
I thought you could only buy it ?

mmm feel silly now - please help

Read this and all will be revealed!

John Innes Composts explained

[crazy_red]

Because home made John Innes compost is very easy and cheap to make I wouldn't dream of growing things like toms in it a second year.

Don't mean to sound contentious but making your own, which I have in the past, is only cheap if you have access to and/or can afford the seperate loam, sand, peat, fertiliser, etc. or buy it in bulk.

Unfortunately, I'm not in a position of being able to do that at the moment. The point of using the JI now, in my case, would be to stop having to completely replace all the compost in the containers every year

That's why I was hoping I could just pep it up - not knowing how much nutrient was left in the compost, I was thinking along the lines of maybe a general fertiliser, such as BFB or growmore and some sort of 'structure' improver - maybe garden or mushroom compost, as Snuffer suggested?

Perhaps just use new for the greedy feeders, like toms?

[Snadger]

Don't mean to sound contentious but making your own, which I have in the past, is only cheap if you have access to and/or can afford the seperate loam, sand, peat, fertiliser, etc. or buy it in bulk.

Unfortunately, I'm not in a position of being able to do that at the moment. The point of using the JI now, in my case, would be to stop having to completely replace all the compost in the containers every year

That's why I was hoping I could just pep it up - not knowing how much nutrient was left in the compost, I was thinking along the lines of maybe a general fertiliser, such as BFB or growmore and some sort of 'structure' improver - maybe garden or mushroom compost, as Snuffer suggested?

Perhaps just use new for the greedy feeders, like toms?

I have an allotment full of soil which is the main ingredient so it makes it cheap for me! Ok, you're supposed to use sterilised fibrous loam.....but I don't! I don't mind picking a few weeds out of the pot surrounds now and again. Peat is now becoming hard to get but you could use coir as well which is quite cheap and concreting sand from a builders merchant is also cheap.
I also bulk it up with home made compost and some well rotted manure. I don't use JI base either I just use BFB which I have for use generally on the plot.
Basically I just blag it a bit to save some money!

I would always use JI in containers which have perennial plants in them to give weight and substance over a long period!

[Two_Sheds]

As others have said, John Innes is a recipe; and you can make it yourself.

Long-term potting mixtures should carry a lot of nutrients to help the plant over the course of its life. The Berryfields potting mix is made up of:

2 parts sieved garden compost
1 part leaf mould
1 part loam (good free-draining soil)
1 part sand or grit

You can make or acquire the first three ingredients yourself, and just buy the grit/sand (about £4 a bag).


Just for info, this link has all the Gardener's World compost recipes: BBC - Gardeners' World - Article - Berryfields Compost Mixes

[kitchengardner]

Hi folks!

I have to use containers for most of my growing at the moment and it is really expensive to replace the multi-purpose compost every spring.

If I use John Innes no.3 soil-based compost in my pots, how many years should I get out of it, before it needs completely replacing?

Also, would I need to start feeding the pots after a certain time, as you do with multi-purpose peat based ones?

As it has a soil base, I was wondering if when the nutrients did start to run too low, you could empty the pots and mix the JI compost with something to replenish the nutrients, then re-fill the pots.....or am I just hoping for too much

Thanks,

Red

You can reuse the soil easy enough but make sure you still rotate crops (ie don't grow veg from the same family in the same soil 2 years running). I have been doing this for 10 years with no problems.

For perinnials I do as others have suggested in that I carefully remove a couple of inches and replace with fresh compost with a good pinch of blood, bone and fish (BBF) meal mixed in.

For annuals I empty the pot onto a plastic sheet, mix in a good dose of BBF and a handful of well rotted manure, and replace. If it is still a bit low I top up with compost.

If you are growing in containers you certainly should feed with a good liquid feed (seaweed for leaf crops; comfrey tea for fruits/tomatoes etc) at least fortnightly when plants are in growth.

Friends of mine also swear by Miracle Gro pot feeders (a slow release chemical feed cube you push into the soil, which is meant to feed plants for up to 6 months) but I don't use them as they are not organic

Hope this helps

Kitchen Gardener

[Two_Sheds]

I was thinking along the lines of maybe a general fertiliser, such as BFB or growmore and some sort of 'structure' improver - maybe garden or mushroom compost, as Snuffer suggested?

BFB is dead cheap ... about a quid.
Growmore is not organic, so that might be a consideration.
Garden compost is fab, and free.
(spent) Mushroom compost is highly alkaline, and low in nitrogen, but a great soil conditioner nonetheless.